Scientific Anomaly Explained
by cyberhusky
Summary: The team find themselves trapped in the late permian era after returning a Dimetrodon. Solving one of the great scientific mysteries while escaping from all sorts of carnivorus beasties, bugs and occassionally reality. Read and enjoy.


Most of the stuff in Season One has happened but kind of an AU after that – mainly because I don't know what happens in Season two. I don't own the characters or the Dinosaurs etc.

*****

Abby watched Rex idly as he flew around her apartment, thinking about everything that had happened since she knocked on Ben's front door. Her phone startled her out of memory lane. She listened for a minute as Cutter's voice explained the new anomaly.

"I'll be there as soon as I can." She said, already grabbing a light jacket and running toward the stairs.

*****

Abby nodded to the guards that had sealed the area as she ducked under the tape. Cutter, Stephan, and Conner were already gathered around the anomaly. Stephan was keeping a look out, Conner furiously tapping at his laptop and Cutter in heated argument with Claudia. Conner suddenly looked up.

"I think I've got it!" He exclaimed as Abby drew within ear shot of them. Cutter broke off mid sentence and rushed over, looking over Conner's shoulder. Stephan cast one more look around, nodding to Abby once before he too joined Conner and Cutter. Abby strolled over.

"Dimetrodon was a late Permian carnivore..." Conner broke off as he saw Abby approaching.

"Abby," He said, voice slightly hushed

"So... a typical Sunday?" She remarked casually. Stephan smiled crookedly.

"Typical Sunday." He echoed.

*****

Abby and Stephan trekked through the light forest silently, listening and watching for any sign of the Dimetrodon.

"We're a bit close to the farms aren't we?" Abby noted, pointing out the fencing to their left. Stephan stopped, gazing across to the farm she had pointed out.

'Do you hear that?" He asked quietly now listening to nothing but the sound of cattle in the paddock. Abby's eyes widened as she realised that the sounds they had written off as normal were in fact the sounds of panicked cattle. They crept closer to the fence, leaving the rough path they had been following. Stephan quickly scanned the fence line before moving slowly towards a large tear.

As they approached, they noticed the Dimetrodon feasting unaware of the approaching danger. Abby watched as Stephan slung his tranquiliser gun over his back

"Cutter, it's on the farms to the south. I'm going after it." Stephan whispered into his radio, turning it off before a reply came through.

Stephan moved slower and slower as he drew nearer to the creature, constantly checking to make sure he was downwind from it and that he didn't stumble. Once he was within ten metres he manoeuvred around until he had a clear shot. He raised the gun, sighting the soft tissue as the Dimetrodon tore a large chunk of meat away from the cow it had killed. Stephan squeezed the trigger, painfully aware that he would not get a second chance.

Abby watched as Stephan levelled his gun. She guessed that the Dimetrodon would be able to cover the distance between him and it in a matter of steps, and watched fearfully as the creature stretched its head and neck out and up to swallow the meat it had just stripped.

A loud bang rang out as Stephan shot at it. The Dimetrodon shook its head slightly, turning to look directly at Stephan. Stephan dropped his gun as he turned and sprinted back towards the relative safety of the forest. The ground shook as the Dimetrodon followed him at a much faster pace, its four legs scurrying like a lizards. Abby braced herself, sighting the charging creature. Stephan turned sharply to the right followed a few paces later by the Dimetrodon. Abby released the dart, satisfied as the creature stumbled slightly before collapsing in a heap a mere metre from Stephan.

Abby got up and shouldered her gun, approaching the creature in an almost revered sort of way. Stephan too stood and looked over the three metre long creature. Abby ran her hands over the large sail gently, amazed at the softness of the skin in contrast to the thick spines that held it erect. Cutter and Conner both ran up, Conner looking somewhat flustered, Cutter looking anxious, the latter one turning to a look of relief as he appraised the situation.

"What were you thinking?" He demanded at Stephan even as he wondered at a creature that had created so many scientific mysteries.

"Animals in general are more relaxed when they are eating. I thought I would have an opportunity to shoot it before it noticed me." Stephan justified.

"Yeah, it sure looks like it didn't notice you." Cutter retorted. Stephan looked away.

"It took two darts to stop it." Abby remarked amazed, as she retrieved the dart Stephan had used from the creature's neck.

"All right, well we better find a way to move him back to his own time before he wakes up." Cutter said decisively, as he punched in a number in his cell-phone.

*****

Conner, Cutter, Abby and Stephan pushed the trailer containing the Dimetrodon across and through the anomaly.

They toiled in near silence, grunting in effort to move the 250kg beast from the trailer as The distant the distant sounds of an erupting volcano rolled across them, a tremor echoing it as it shook the earth beneath them. Finally they were able to slide the Dimetrodon to the swampy grounds, each collapsing against the trailer briefly as they caught their breath.

"Let's go home." Cutter panted, taking one last look around the swampy landscape, weary of any monsters that could be hiding there. Everyone nodded, turning around and pulling the now empty trailer.

After a few metres, Conner stopped, quickly followed by Cutter, Abby and Stephan.

"Is it just me or was there an anomaly here before?" Conner asked faintly. No one replied. They all knew that answer already.

They were trapped.

*****

"So we wait for the anomaly to re-open." Conner said on the verge of panicking.

"It might not be that simple, Conner" Cutter replied steadily "It has sometimes been months before an anomaly reopens. We don't even know if they always reopen. The Anomaly the Dodos came through never reopened, or it hasn't yet." He explained.

"We can't just sit here. We barely have any food, or water and no blankets or tents. Not to mention we only have a limited supply of ammunition and..." Conner broke off as a second tremor rippled under them.

"Conner?" Cutter asked, his voice edged with unease. Conner sat quickly on the trailer, taking his laptop out of his bag as he did so. If anyone found it odd that he would bring his laptop into the past, no one mentioned it, they watched silently as he grew paler and paler.

"For God sakes Conner! What is it?" Abby yelled suddenly, jumping onto the trailer to peer over his shoulder. Her face turned from angry to confused as she took in the random numbers and calculations.

"Cutter, you need to see these." Conner said voice weak as he pushed his laptop towards his professor. Cutter frowned but took the laptop and quickly scanned the screen.

"My God." He whispered, scanning it again to be sure.

"If my calculations are correct," Conner started, voice stronger now he was talking facts and figures "Then the amount of energy and power of a major volcanic eruption and subsequent... a third tremor rolled under them "earthquakes," Conner squeaked "would be enough to significantly change the landscape of the earth." Conner paused

"and?" Abby asked, unable to see the point of the three scientists.

"And had there been an anomaly opening, in existence or closing at the time of the eruption would be enough to upset the magnetic field of the earth, which in turn would set off more volcanic eruptions..." Conner stopped, unable to continue.

"Causing the mass extinction of 90 to 95 percent of all species on the earth at the time."

"The mass extinction of the Permian Era." Cutter whispered in awe, realising that no one in history knew the exact cause of it except them.


End file.
